A Family Affair
The transplant doctor called a meeting for my whole family and told us that since I was AB positive, I was easy to match and they were all possible donors. So who would donate? The doctor helped us make a decision. My daughter was not the top choice because she might still have more children, so he suggested my oldest son, Robert, be tested and my other son, Michael, be the second choice.
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A Healing Presence: Howard Netter, MD
My father, Howard Netter, M.D., spent much of his life welcoming new people into this world. His work as an obstetrician-gynecologist perfectly melded his love for medicine with his absolute respect and joy for humanity. I recently returned to my hometown of Albany, New York to practice holistic medicine and energy healing. After speaking with streams of my father’s precious patients I realized that this wonderful clinician and surgeon was, in fact, always practicing holistic medicine as well! He truly cared for every patient’s mind, body, and spirit. He offered precisely what each patient needed to feel: supported, nurtured, and respected...When faced with deteriorating renal function and health challenges due to Polycystic Kidney Disease, he practiced what he believed: You must actively participate in your own health care process.
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A Nephrologist as a Cancer Patient Finds Enlightenment in a Support Group
Lessons learned about health and illness came not from an extremely busy nephrology practice, but, for me, from becoming a sarcoma (cancer) patient. It started in my thigh but metastasized to my lungs. After intensive chemotherapy and two major chest surgeries, I had a new respect for health, and realized that the experience of battling malignancy paralleled that of being a kidney patient. In fact, my dialysis and transplant patients were my source of inspiration, and still are.
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A Peaceful Mission Silenced
Seventeen years ago, I met Joey--a man who changed my life forever. We became not only partners in life, but in advocacy for ourselves and others who, like ourselves, had to live an effective life while dodging disease and its complications and treatment. We also had to learn to remain positive about our life's journey, to love, learn, and do for others what we had to do for ourselves.
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A Ride Across America 2: A Journey to Promote Organ Donation
In April 2006 (National Donate Life Month), we assembled a team of transplant recipients, living donors, and family members of donors and recipients and completed our second "Big Ride." After loading up our gear, we traveled from San Francisco to New York City on (take a guess...) ATVs!
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A Roundup of Anti-Rejection Medications for the Kidney Transplant Patient
Your body's immune system protects you against foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. The problem is that the immune system also recognizes the transplanted organ as a foreign invader and will try to reject it. For this reason, you will be prescribed anti-rejection drugs, also called immunosuppressive agents, in an attempt to dampen down your body's natural immune response.
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A Sticky Situation: Patients' Rights and Options Regarding Cannulation in Hemodialysis
Jim walked into the dialysis clinic and, while he put what he brought with him next to his chair, looked around. He saw the charge nurse and four technicians. He had been "stuck," or had the needle inserted into his arm, by everyone in the room and recalled that one of the technicians had done an excellent job the last time. She had hurt him very little and positioned the needles just right. This resulted in an uneventful treatment. He knew the others also, but none of them had been able to "stick" him as well.
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Addiction and Kidney Disease (Podcast)
Drug and alcohol addiction is not a topic we hear much about in the kidney community. However, it is a very real issue for some people living with kidney disease and their families. Well discuss this topic head-on with Bobby Walker, a kidney patient who has walked this difficult and painful path. This is one story you must hear.
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Adequate or Optimal Dialysis (Podcast)
A frequent term that is used in the dialysis industry is adequate dialysis. Lori and Stephen talk to Dr. Raffi Minasian on how the industry is recognizing that patients need more dialysis to feel better and improve their quality of life. Dr. Minasian explains some of the benefits of more dialysis and the barriers health care professionals encounter to be able to deliver optimal dialysis to their patients
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Another Reason for Good Oral Hygiene
You’ve probably heard how brushing and flossing your teeth daily can help prevent cavities and gum disease, but there might be a new reason to find the energy to clean your teeth. It has to do with the relationship of your teeth and gums to the rest of your body.
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Are You Shooting Up?
When you pull out needles from your little black kit, people have a tendency to be fascinated. I think they also want to make sure you’re not going to come after them with the needles! Managing diabetes isn’t always easy, but it is necessary for optimal health.
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Avoiding the Telltale Symptons of CKD - What's the Cost? (Podcast)
Valerie Thomerson was both new on the job and finding a new home with her husband when she “just blew off all the symptoms,” she said. She had all the warning signs but no family history of disease, and, besides, the new job called for all her attention. How did a security guard save her life? Why did the triage nurse have to take her blood pressure three times before he believed the reading? Now living with a transplanted kidney from a donor at her church, Valerie’s story is both inspiring and fascinating.
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Blood Pressure Monitors
To get an accurate reading it is best to take your BP at the same time everyday using the same arm because results can vary between arms. BP can be affected my many things such as diet, emotion, and muscle tension to name a few.
Owning a blood pressure monitor is a great way to regulate your blood pressure. There are a few factors such as usability and accuracy that go into choosing the right monitor. The British Hypertension Society (BHS) provides highly regarded guidelines to manage high BP and also has lists of BP monitors that scored a "B" or better using BHS protocols.
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Bush Baby Travels the Globe - Learning about Love, Joy, and Support While Living with Kidney Failure
This is a story about a little stuffed koala bear-like animal that has traveled the globe to visit people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), bringing them love, joy, and support from fellow travelers with kidney failure. The tiny toy creature, called "Bush Baby," has journeyed to five continents, staying with one enthusiastic host or hostess after another.
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Calciphylaxis (Podcast)
This week Lori and Stephen visit with Sue Vogel, renal administrator, nephrology nurse, and board member of Renal Support Network, to discuss calciphylaxis, a condition affecting kidney patients and transplant patients. You may be saying, “CalciphyWHAT?” Calciphylaxis (cal-si-fa-lax-sis) is a difficult-to-pronounce disease process that is very important for patients to know about. It involves a calcium and phosphorus imbalance in the body.
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Celebrating 35 years and Counting (Podcast)
Are you old enough to remember Woodstock ? Do you know what you were doing the week of Woodstock (assuming you weren’t at the concert, that is)? A die-hard rock-n-roll fan, Charles Rosenberg remembers quite well. On KidneyTalk this week, Lori and Stephen visit with Charles, a living legend in the kidney community. In 1971 he received a cadaveric kidney transplant and has just celebrated his 35th anniversary. Listen in as Lori and Stephen discuss with Charles the ups, the downs, and the in-betweens on all the years of living with chronic kidney disease and transplantation. Lori also asks about an important piece of legislation regarding organ donation that has been enacted in New York thanks to Charles.
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Choosing and Caring for Your Vascular Access (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell, Stephen Furst, and their guests talk about the all-important vascular access. The access is how your dialysis staff (or you, if you practice self-care) gain entrance to your bloodstream to perform hemodialysis. The access is so important to hemodialysis patients that it’s often called their “lifeline.”
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CMS Survey & Certification Guidelines
The Social Security Act (the Act) provides for a system of quality assurance in the Medicare program based on objective, onsite, outcome-based surveys by federal and State surveyors. The survey and certification (S&C) system provides beneficiaries with assurance that basic standards of quality are being met by health care providers or, if not met, that remedies are promptly implemented.
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Connecting with Fellow Patients
Times have changed and so has technology. When I was diagnosed with kidney disease 34 years ago, we merely had telephones, televisions, and radios. Today, we have a new way of communicating via cell phones, text messaging, e-mail, and the Internet. No matter which method of communication you prefer, connecting is a useful tool to help learn about ways to live successfully with kidney disease.
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Creating & Implementing the Rules for Dialysis (Podcast)
Congress passed legislation last year that will require CMS to write the rules on the payment policy for dialysis services. Mike Paget, who has many years experience in the dialysis community will explain how the renal community can be sure to be involved in the process. Any day now CMS will publish a "proposed rule" on the new payment policy for dialysis care, in the Federal Register. The community will have 60 days to comment, after which CMS will review the comments to establish the final rule. Listen to the show and learn how you an make an impact and what some of the key issues are.
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Delay the Need For Dialysis With Good Nutrition
People who have been diagnosed with decreased kidney function often find themselves confronted with many lifestyle changes, including their diet. But there are steps that can be taken to help prolong kidney function. Following the right diet is one way that you can help slow down the damage to the kidneys and delay the need for dialysis.
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Dialysis Success (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst talk with a spirited woman who embodies the wonders made possible by dialysis. The definition of “dialysis success” for this long-time kidney patient, Roanne Dale, is looking great and feeling great while on dialysis. While this might sound like an oxymoron, one look at Roanne proves that dialysis success is achievable. Roanne’s experience with kidney failure began back in the early 1970s. While on a tobogganing adventure with family members (for those of you from warm climates, a toboggan is a type of snow sled), her younger sister had a traumatic accident resulting in severe injuries. Because of the injuries, Roanne’s sister suffered kidney failure.
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Dialysis Treatment During Disasters: Patient Opportunities and Responsibilities in Emergency Planning
Katrina and other devastating events in 2005 exposed problems in providing medical care to kidney patients in disasters as well as in providing food and shelter to the hundreds of thousands who were displaced from their homes. In response to the particular needs of kidney patients, the Kidney Community Emergency Response Coalition (KCERC) has formulated plans to ensure readily available dialysis care during disasters.
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Dialysis Without Fear (Podcast)
The Offer Family went through a crisis that many kidney dialysis patients know about: going from leading a carefree, regular life one day to walking into a dialysis clinic for treatment the next. But Daniel Offer is a physician as well as a medical researcher and professor at a university. He was still shocked, as was his family, which includes his wife and his daughter. So they wrote a book together called Dialysis Without Fear to help other people going through dialysis treatments
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Did You Know? Willem J. Kolff, MD, the Father of Dialysis
Willem J. Kolff, MD, the Father of Dialysis
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Did You Know? Belding Scribner, MD, the Father of Chronic Dialysis, Made History in 1960?
Belding Scribner, MD, the Father of Chronic Dialysis, Made History in 1960
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Did You Know? Nobel Prize Laureate Joseph E. Murray, MD, Performed the First Successful Kidney Transplant
Nobel Prize Laureate Joseph E. Murray, MD, Performed the First Successful Kidney Transplant
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Did You Know? The Term ‘Dialysis’ was First Used in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1861
The Term ‘Dialysis’ was First Used in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1861
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Don't Wait For the World to Change (Podcast)
This week on KidneyTalk, we are on location at the Annual California Dialysis Council Meeting in Palm Springs, CA with Marc Chow, Director of Government Affairs for Satellite Healthcare and Mike Arnold, CEO of Arnold & Associates, Inc.
Mike Arnold says "Unless we're there to stand up for our community...we're forgotten about."
Ever feel that way?
In this interview Marc Chow and Mike Arnold offer their respective expertise on why it is so important for the kidney community to take a stand, get involved, and make a difference...and how. You'll find it's not as hard as you may have thought.
"Dialysis patients are different, it's a very fragile population. They need to be thought of differently, and treated differently, and must be addressed differently." Mike Arnold says.
Learn about the Kidney Care Quality and Education Act of 2007 and some of the state issues heading our way.
Be sure to tune in to this very informative interview, and make an impact that will help change kidney patients' lives...for the better.
To learn more about The California Dialysis Council please visit www.caldialysis.org.
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DOPPS: Dialysis Outcomes Around the World (Podcast)
DOPPS stands for the Dialysis Outcomes Practice Pattern Study. This study was developed because there was a concern here in the US about 10 years ago that our kidney patients weren’t living as long or doing as well as other kidney patients around the world, although there wasn’t proof of this. Now this marvelous study reveals just how well we compare to other kidney patients in the other 12 countries studied. Did you know the police will be called to pick you up if you skip a dialysis treatment in ….? No, it’s not here in the U.S., but listen in to find out which country does this. Oh, wow! Would they come after you?
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Drinking Alcohol Responsibly on a Renal Diet
Over 50% of American adults drink alcohol. Alcohol may have beneficial effects when consumed in moderation. This article will review what moderate drinking is, what is a serving size, and the health benefits of drinking.
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Easy Bruising
No one skates through life without an occasional bruise, whether it’s a learning-to-walk toddler bumping into a coffee table, a harried worker inadvertently walking into the corner of a desk, or an amateur home handyman hitting a finger with a hammer. Such occurrences are seldom a cause for concern. For those with chronic kidney disease, however, frequent and easy bruising presents problems and challenges
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Essay Winners Spend Day Shadowing Transplant Surgeon and Learning About Dialysis
Five southern California high school students became “transplant surgeons” for the day on Thursday, April 24, at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange in conjunction with National Donate Life Month and National Take Your Child to Work Day.
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Ethnic Dining For the Renal Patient
You can try different ethnic foods on your renal diet! This guide will help you in making menu selections when eating away from home. Follow these general suggestions on dining out:
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Exercise Program Tips for Dialysis Patients
Although you see your physician regularly to control your blood sugar and your BP, what are you doing to increase your physical activity? It is equally as important--and maybe even easier to control--than BP and blood sugar. You can be more physically active, and it may just save your life.
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Eyewitness Account of Kidney Donation (Podcast)
Donating a kidney to a friend or family member is becoming more common. Listen to Phillip Palmer, weekday morning anchor for KABC7 Eyewitness News in Los Angeles and hear him describe his journey of what it was like to give the "gift of life" to his good friend Dale Wade Davis. Phillip describes how he made the decision to become a living donor and what inspired him to make this decision. Don't miss this extraordinary act of kindness!
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Fast Food Facts
Quick-service restaurants provide us with a quick, easy, inexpensive bite when we’re pressed for time.
If you are a regular through the drive-up window or frequently dine in at fast food restaurants, keep these tips in mind:
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Finding Alternative Solutions for Organ Donation: A Patient's Perspective (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst speak with Sally Satel, MD--a psychiatrist, writer, and kidney transplant recipient--on the often controversial subject of organ donation. Dr. Satel (“Sally”) added fuel to the debate over organ donation when an article she wrote appeared in a recent edition of “The New York Times.” How do you feel about organ donation? Should the United States follow the lead of many European countries by adopting a policy of “presumed consent,” whereby a person is automatically considered an organ donor upon his/her death (unless otherwise noted)? Should we offer financial incentives for organ donors or keep the act of donation strictly altruistic?
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For Women Only! (why is Stephen in the room?) (Podcast)
Dr. Josephine Hall, MD, a Board-certified gynecologist, has been practicing medicine since 1968, and has been an OB-GYN since 1970. Dr. Hall talks woman-to-woman with Lori Hartwell, as co-host Stephen Furst asks the questions every guy wants to ask! Dr. Hall offers important insights about female concerns that are shared by people who have chronic kidney disease.
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Gaining that Winning Smile (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst speak with Cheryl (“ Cher ”) Thomas, a registered dental hygienist and kidney transplant recipient, who brings up the intriguing relationship between gum disease and one’s overall health. What brings a smile to your face? A sparkling, silvery, five-pound fish on the end of your fishing line? A quiet evening with a good book? Or maybe even a crisp, juicy, red apple? For Lori, it’s all about dogs. “When my two dogs are playing and tumbling around, it just makes me smile,” she relates.
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Generic Medications: Are They Right for You?
There are some things that everyone, particularly dialysis and kidney transplant patients, taking generic medications should understand to protect themselves and to feel confident about the medications they are taking.
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Get Information, Get Tested, Get Hope! (Podcast)
Dr. Roberto Vargas works hard at preventing kidney disease, and working for the best outcomes if someone already has it. In this invaluable show, you will learn what the early warning signs of kidney disease mean, why some minority cultures are at higher risk, and the importance of getting tested, especially if there’s been kidney disease in your immediate family. Dr. Vargas holds out hope for patients not to progress to a higher stage of CKD, and even, when conditions are favorable, to regress back to an earlier stage. This is a must-listen for everybody – diagnosed or not.
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Getting Off to the 'RightStart'
When she first started dialysis treatments, Maurita felt like there was a black cloud over her head. That’s until she started the RightStart Program, an educational plan being tried in some clinics that helps patients starting dialysis better understand their dialysis treatment. Once she finished the program, she actually started looking forward to going to her treatments because she understood that they were helping her lengthen her life, to continue being with her family. Now, she even provides encouragement to other new patients. She says she hasn’t felt this good in a long time.
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Glossary of Terms
A glossary of renal terms and definitions.
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Gout and CKD - A New Era of Hope
It was not until 1962 that scientists discovered that gout is caused by the excess accumulation of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in the tissues surrounding joints. Uric acid (also known as urate) forms in the body as the natural process of protein break down. Normal levels are less than 7.0 mg/dL. Many people who have chronic kidney disease experience their first attack as their kidney function progressively declines due to reduced urinary excretion of uric acid.
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Guiding the Future: Patient Involvement in UNOS
UNOS (pronounced you-nose) stands for United Network for Organ Sharing. It is a private, non-profit, membership organization. The UNOS headquarters is in Richmond, VA. For administrative purposes, UNOS has divided the country into 11 geographic regions and has a staff administrator for each.
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H1N1 Pandemic Flu 2009: Preparation, Prevention and Treatment
America is sending our children back to school with an expected surge in H1N1 influenza cases. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) H1N1 news briefing, the CDC states that H1N1 is unpredictable but can be a severe disease especially in people with chronic illnesses. To date, the composite Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of the current H1N1 flu pandemic is below 1% with most people infected making a full and complete recovery after a mild illness. However, the H1N1 2009 pandemic flu has many features differing from the usual seasonal flu which forebode the potential for adverse outcomes especially among people with chronic medical conditions including renal disease.
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Having a Voice in Healthcare
It can be difficult to understand all the complexities involved in these discussions in the houses of Congress and how changes will impact people who have kidney disease. WeKAN (a patient advocacy program of RSN) works hard to stay on top of the issues that will affect kidney patients. Currently these are our top legislative advocacy issues:
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Health Promotion, Disease Prevention, and Chronic Kidney Disease
These are but a few ways you can maintain a healthy lifestyle. As you take a more active role in your own healthcare, the benefits of increased energy, general well-being, and a potentially longer life are all possible.
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Help Your Family Make the Kidney Connection
Twenty six million Americans have signs of kidney damage based on urine or blood tests. People of all ages and races are at risk for kidney disease, but African Americans are much more likely than other groups to develop kidney failure, which is severe kidney damage requiring treatment with dialysis or kidney transplant. In fact, African Americans are four times more likely than Caucasians to be diagnosed with kidney failure.
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Hemo for Night-Owls (Podcast)
A kidney patient since she was 11, Diana Headlee-Bell has had two transplants and, since her second kidney transplant rejected, has been in in-center nocturnal hemodialysis 3 nights a week for 9 years. Why she likes it and how she manages it are two of the many questions Stephen and Lori ask. This alternative therapy modality can have many benefits. Listen to the show to find out what they are and –above all– discover another hemodialysis modality!
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Herbal Supplements for the Kidney Patient: Caveat Emptor
When it comes to herbs, they should be thought of as diluted drugs and should not be taken before consulting your physician. If you are someone with kidney disease who may be contemplating purchasing OTC herbal medications, it would serve you well to consider the old phrase, caveat emptor, or "Let the buyer beware."
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High Antibody Count - What To Do? (Podcast)
Howard Feinberg had a transplant that unfortunately ended up failing. Now back on dialysis, and back on the list he learned his chances were very slim to receive a second kidney. Howard took control of his care and found out all his options. He learned of a new therapy that helps reduce your antibody count. Listen to Howard’s journey of how he was able to receive his second transplant.
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How Can You Care For Your New Kidney Transplant?
No matter how long you have your new kidney, your body will always know that it does not belong to you and will try to attack it. As long as you have a working kidney transplant, you will be taking medicine to prevent rejection.
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How Low Can You Go? (Podcast)
How low can you go? What are we talking about? This week we’re talking about understanding low blood pressure while on dialysis. Stephen knows firsthand how low he can go. He experiences low blood pressure frequently while on dialysis. He also experiences some of the symptoms of low blood pressure such as headache, sweating, and cramping. Collectively, these signs and symptoms are frequently referred to as “crashing”.
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How Sweet Life Is! (Podcast)
Virna Elly a diabetic since the age of eight has had her shares of life's ups and downs. Her kidneys failed and she started dialysis. At one point she thought life was sour! Hear her remarkable story.
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How to Make the Holidays Hassle Free - and Add a Sprinkle of Joy!
The holidays can be full of joy and lasting memories. But they can also add stress in our lives, especially when we are balancing the many issues kidney disease brings to us. Here are a few suggestions on how to enjoy the holidays with fewer hassles:
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How to Multi-List for a New Kidney
Be aware that it is against federal law to buy or sell an organ in the United States punishable by severe fines and jail time. So unless you decide to go outside of the United States and take the risks in some third world country of buying an organ, you had best learn the "ins and outs" that UNOS allows by Multiple Listing
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How Your Kidneys Work and the Five Stages of Chronic Kidney Disease
Kidney disease is the loss of the kidneys' ability to adequately perform critical functions important to maintaining life. Most renal diseases destroy both kidneys simultaneously, and the damage can occur slowly over many years. The process is usually painless.
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I Want More Dialysis...Please!
Many of my current dialysis patients as well as others around the United States are asking for more dialysis. They want to feel better and “get their lives back.” Allowing them to perform their own dialysis in the home setting and receive more total hours of dialysis is empowering. Patients have shared with me and I have witnessed how much better their lives can be when they receive the optimal amount of dialysis. So are you receiving optimal dialysis, or just adequate dialysis? This is a hot topic right now in the corporate kidney world, and should be among dialysis patients as well.
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Independent Living with Home Dialysis (Podcast)
What a great week to talk about home hemodialysis... the week of Independence Day. Our guest is Hasmik Mouradian, who knows about dialysis and the independence that home hemodialysis can offer. Hasmik began dialysis when only 16 years old. Not knowing what was wrong, her parents took her to the doctor because she had swollen legs. “The next thing I knew, I had to start dialysis,” says Hasmik, who was living in her native country of Armenia at the time
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Infection Prevention (Podcast)
This week on KidneyTalk, Lori Hartwell & Steven Furst get to the nitty and the gritty with Debbie Punch, a registered nurse, and CEO of Alliance Management on infection while on dialysis. This informative interview will open your eyes to the many simple and overlooked ways to preventing infection. You’ll also learn what shots are really necessary or just myths. Tune in and learn the signs to look out for and avoid.
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Informed, Committed, Understanding Legislators
We see our elected leaders on television, we read about them in the newspapers, and sometimes we even encounter them in person. Most of the time these elected officials are doing the talking—they tell us about themselves, their plans, their policies, and their problems.
Election season turns things around. Now, it's our turn to speak, and our leaders must listen. They know that to get our votes they will need to understand our interests and concerns.
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Is Anybody Listening? The Kidney Patient's Role in Doctor/Patient Communication
The question is, “Doctor, can you hear me?” The answer is, “Patient, are you listening?”
This question and this answer are repeated hundreds of times a day as physicians and patients interact. The real question is: “Is anybody listening?” The real answer is: “Very few people are listening.”
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It's About Choice: A Benefits vs. Burdens Analysis
"If I couldn't see my life improving on dialysis, I wouldn't want to live."
Many patients make similar statements to show how they feel or how they think when faced with the burdens of dialysis. If they are suffering losses in physical or mental function, they might see their quality of life falling to a level lower than what they could accept. They might choose to simply stop dialysis.
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Keep An Eye On Your Needle
As you know, being on hemodialysis is a crucial but complex procedure which involves a certain level of risk. As a dialysis patient you get used to keeping an eye out for infections, phosphate levels, and access complications. We can’t dwell too much on things which may happen, but a certain level of consciousness can help you feel on top of things. Venous needle dislodgement during hemodialysis is rare, but incidents do occur and they can have serious consequences. Do you know what to do should this happen to you?
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Keeping Dialysis Units Up to Snuff (Podcast)
Spending time in dialysis units is what Glenda does to help protect Patients Rights. Observations, questions and inspections insure that units meet the minimum Medicare requirements. Listen and learn what your dialysis unit should provide to YOU—and what it doesn’t. Glenda Payne has been a nurse for over 30 years and works for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as an educator and surveyor.
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KidneySchool.org: It Might Just Save Your Life! (Podcast)
Dori Schatell, Executive Director of the Medical Education Institute, visits KidneyTalk to talk with Lori and Stephen about the Institute’s Kidney School (www.kidneyschool.org). No, it doesn’t have a football team, and no cheerleaders (Stephen was so disappointed), but this online educational program for people with kidney disease consisting of 16 interactive modules of about 20 minutes each will tell you something that makes a difference in your life!
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Learn About Lupus (Podcast)
Did you know Lupus can lead to kidney disease? Wendy has taken on kidney disease, dialysis, and lupus with a positive attitude. In this show, she talks freely about her life and how chronic illness has affected her. She’s all about education. Listen in and educate yourself a little.
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Lessons Learned from Katrina (Podcast)
This week, Lori and Stephen visit with Dr. Paul Miller, a nephrologist who came to the rescue of many displaced dialysis patients in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and Bradley Mayfield, a kidney patient who not only lived through the hurricane but helped chauffer other patients to dialysis during the storm’s awful aftermath. “As a patient, seeing that size storm approaching the area, my first concern was how it was going to impact my ability to get the necessary treatment I needed. With some of the precautions Dr. Miller had taken with his center, I didn’t have much to worry about,” says Bradley. Listen in as this week’s guests tell of their experiences during the worst storm in our nation’s history, how they made dialysis work, and tips on how you too can be prepared for an emergency situation in times of unforeseen disaster
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Living Long and Well on Dialysis
Your medical team should explain all the different treatment options to you so that you can make an informed decision. Do some research on your own. There is a wealth of information on the Internet. Learn more about the different options and then make a choice that works for you and your family.
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Longer Hemodialysis Is Better than Shorter Hemodialysis
Even one hour longer on dialysis will bring remarkable improvement within only a few weeks! The longer dialysis duration is particularly beneficial in patients who do not make any urine.
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Make the Most of Your Doctor Visit
I have been on this journey now for nearly 10 years. From what I have learned, I recommend that anyone with a life-threatening health condition develop a collaborative partnership with his or her doctor and medical team.
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Managing Stress: What Kidney Patients, Family Members, and Caregivers Need to Know
Trying to replace what kidneys used to do requires hemodialysis treatments three times a week, or daily exchanges for the peritoneal dialysis patient, or a renal transplant. But dialysis is just the beginning. There are daily medicines, dietary restrictions, fluid limitations, and financial burdens that accompany dialysis treatments. This can result in extreme emotional stress.
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Medication Reconciliation: A Practical Guide For Dialysis and Transplant Patients
We’ve all heard the stories about people who were given the wrong medication or the wrong dose of medication in the hospital. These stories often have devastating outcomes, and people become scared of the care that is being provided by healthcare workers.
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Medication Tips (Podcast)
This week on KidneyTalk, Mike Josbena, MS, RPH, President of Wordsmiths Health Communications talks with Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst in depth about medication. What is medication? Where do you store medication? You’ll be surprised to hear where in fact you should not store your meds. What about herbal medication? Is it really medication? Can vitamins hurt you? What if you forget your medication? Listen in to this fun and insightful show, and find out the answers to all these questions and more.
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Metformin
A popular oral drug for treating Type 2 diabetes. Metformin (brand name Glucophage) is a member of a class of drugs called biguanides that helps lower blood sugar levels by improving the way the body handles insulin-namely, by preventing the liver from making excess glucose and by making muscle and fat cells more sensitive to available insulin.
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Mr. Right and My Left Kidney (Podcast)
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! We have a great love story for you this week! We have two shows we are airing in honor of Valentine’s Day. The first one is this week’s show about finding love later in life. Next week, we will find out how Sweet Life Is! Joan Saltzman, author of Mr. Right and My Left Kidney, joins Lori and Stephen on KidneyTalk to discuss the juicy details of how she met her husband John, how they fell in love over the Phillies/Toronto World Series, how John’s kidney disease played a part in their new marriage, and how she made the decision to donate a kidney to him. Everyone say, “Ahh”.
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My Journey as a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient to a Normal Life
No doubt, like anyone else who deals with chronic illness, I wondered with amusement if I even knew what a “normal” life is anymore. How could I--with PKD and CKD that led to PD (as well as all those other mysterious combinations of medical letters)?
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Nephropathy
A complication of diabetes that damages the kidneys' ability to filter waste from the blood. Diabetic nephropathy is the single most common cause of kidney failure in the Western world. Nearly one-third of all people with Type 1 diabetes will eventually develop kidney failure due to diabetic nephropathy. A small percentage of people with Type 2 diabetes will also eventually develop diabetic nephropathy.
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New Version of MedActionPlan Helps Transplant Patients Manage Their Post Operative Care
Are you concerned that there are too many instructions to follow and that your doctor’s directions are confusing and hard to read? If that’s the case, there is help at your fingertips. MedActionPlan version 4.0 is a powerful, Internet-based tool that has helped both transplant centers and patients throughout the country.
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Nutrition Tips For Enhancing the Dialysis Patient's Quality of Life
Good nutrition is a very important part of your renal treatment plan whether you are on hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). To move forward with your best in all aspects of your life as a kidney patient, make an effort to maintain yourself by eating enough of the right kinds of foods or less of those "forbidden" foods.
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Opinion - How is Dialysis Paid For in the US?
The title of this article seems like a simple question, but it's a complicated situation, so there really is not a simple answer. In 2004 (the most recent year for which data are available), nearly 500,000 people had Stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD-5, a condition so severe that to live a person needs either a kidney transplant or regular dialysis treatments), and 336,000 individuals were treating their CKD-5 with either hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD).
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OPO Official Addresses the Alleged Premature Organ Retrieval Actions of a Transplant Physician
According to a detailed report in the Los Angeles Times, Hootan Roozrokh, MD, a transplant surgeon from San Francisco, CA, was criminally charged with possibly hastening the death of Ruben Navarro, a severely disabled, cognitively impaired 25-year old, 80-pound man with the purpose of facilitating the premature harvesting of his organs. He was accused by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney of "dependent adult abuse, administering a harmful substance, and prescribing controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose." The felony charges are believed to be the first in the US against a physician for his role in an organ transplant.
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Organ Donation: Inspire Someone Today! (Podcast)
On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst speak with someone who’s truly caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the old adage, “It’s better to give than receive.” For you see, this week’s guest, Bryan Stewart, encourages people to give the “gift of life” so that others can receive the “gift of life!” (On second thought... that’s not such a bad rock or hard place to be caught between.)
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Overcoming the Stumbling Blocks of Kidney Disease
Did you ever think life just wasn't treating you right? Maybe things were just going along great and the Boom!--something happens to change your entire life's focus. Maybe you thought you had a handle on a particular problem or issue, and then one little change turns your world upside down.
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Overview of Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis (HD) is a treatment option for kidney failure. When confronted with the seriousness of renal or kidney failure, most patients find it difficult to understand all of the various aspects of their treatment. There are many questions that go unasked and unanswered. For example: "How does the artificial kidney or dialyzer work?" Another question commonly asked is: "I see blood going through a series of tubes. What is happening to my blood?" Read on to find the answers to these commonly asked questions.
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Pet Therapy: Wagging Tails Come to You
Not only is a warm fuzzy face or a wagging tail a friendly distraction, but spending time with therapy animals can actually have physical benefits as well. Studies have shown that interacting with animals can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, and generally calm a person. As a dog, cat, or other animal offers loving and empathetic support, it also helps aid healing.
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Phosphorous: What is it and Why is it Important?
Phosphorus is a major mineral found throughout the body. Phosphorus is controlled as part of normal, healthy kidney function. When the kidneys do not work effectively, the level of phosphorus accumulates in the body. Your dialysis clinic measures the amount of phosphorus in your blood during the monthly laboratory tests
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PKD: It Runs in the Family (Podcast)
With a family history of PKD - many of her family members have not made it past their 50th birthday - Linda Oakford made two life-affecting decisions in her early 20s which actually helped her meet her husband! This is an inspirational story of courage, of selflessness, and strategizing to life’s realities while finding the silver lining. Tune in for hope and courage now.
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Policing Kidney Disease (Podcast)
This week’s guest on KidneyTalk is Donald England, a full-time, on-the-beat police officer who is also a kidney patient. With an abdomen full of peritoneal dialysis fluid (he uses the CCPD cycler at night), Don patrols the streets of Kokomo, IN, keeping its citizens safe. Don shares his story of living a successful life, including managing kidney disease. Tune in and listen as Don talks with Lori and Stephen about his work as an active duty officer (he will be featured in an upcoming show on the FBI Files) and some of the important things kidney disease has taught him. You will be inspired by Don’s honesty, openness, and attitude about life!
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Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and the PKD Foundation: What Every Family Needs to Know
More than 600,000 Americans and 12.5 million people worldwide battle polycystic kidney disease (PKD) each and every day. PKD is the most common of all life-threatening genetic diseases, affecting more people than Down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, and Huntington's disease combined. Yet, there is no treatment or cure for PKD.
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Preparing for a Kidney Transplant (Podcast)
How do you know if you’re a candidate for a kidney transplant? What is Title XXII? What are the criteria for getting listed at a transplant center? What are the benefits of receiving a transplant? Have you ever heard of a “telephone tree”? Do you have questions about transplantation? Lori and Stephen visit with this week’s guest, Jackie Harris, RN a certified clinical transplant coordinator. Tune in and listen to KidneyTalk! as Lori and Stephen ask the hard questions and Jackie provides the answers.
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Preparing for Dialysis: A Guide for People on Dialysis (Medical Emblems)
This useful information prepared by CMS provides information on how to obtain a medical emblem that will aid you in identifying you in the event of an emergency.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (3-Day Emergency Diet Plan)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This helpful 3-Day Emergency Diet Plan prepared by CMS, provides useful information and tips to aid you in your emergency preparedness so you can feel better and stay healthier.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (Emergency Food List)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This Emergecny Food List prepared by CMS, is to be used in conjuction with the 3-day Emergency Diet Plan and will aid you in your emergency preparedness so you can feel better and stay healthier.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (Helpful Tips in an Emergency)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This helpful guide prepared by CMS, divided conveniently into sections on our website for your use, provides useful information and tips to aid you in your emergency preparedness so you can feel better and stay healthier.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (How to Get Off of a Dialysis Machine in an Emergency Evacuation)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This helpful guide prepared by CMS, provides useful information and tips on How to Get Off of a Dialysis Machine in an Emergency Evacuation.
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Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis (Steps to Prepare for an Emergency)
Emergencies caused by severe weather or disasters can happen with or without warning. This helpful guide prepared by CMS, divided conveniently into sections on our website for your use, provides useful information and tips to aid you in your emergency preparedness so you can feel better and stay healthier.
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Preserving Your Lifeline: What You Should Know About Vascular Access Monitoring and Surveillance
As a patient using a graft or fistula for dialysis, one of your highest priorities for maintaining your health and well-being is to make sure that your vascular access is working properly. Problems with your access can decrease the effectiveness of your treatments and lead to hospitalization or loss of your access. What can be done to help keep your access working properly?
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Proteinuria
The presence of protein in the urine, an early sign of kidney disease. One of the major medical complications of diabetes is diabetic nephropathy, a type of kidney disease that develops slowly over the course of years. Diabetic nephropathy can lead to end-stage renal disease (kidney failure), necessitating dialysis or kidney transplantation. In fact, diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of kidney failure in the United States.
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Recommendations For Handling Pets in the ESRD Setting
Pets have been part of man’s household for thousands of years. They provide us with unconditional affection and companionship. Recent studies suggest that, in addition to providing a social support, pets lower one’s stress response, improve the sense of well-being, and reduce depression. As a result of these studies, pets have been introduced into the hospital and nursing home settings with beneficial effects on patients. In many cases, blood pressure or antidepressant medications have been reduced in some patients as a result of pet therapy.
In addition to definite health benefits however, pets pose some health risks, particularly to those with compromised immune function. These risks are especially important for individuals with renal transplants.
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Renal Acronyms
A list of acronyms for renal terms.
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Resources for Living a Healthier Life With Kidney Disease
Do you want to live a healthier life, but don’t know where to begin? Would you like to improve your diet, increase your activity level, or just instill healthier habits? Here are a few Internet resources to help you get started. Consult with your physician and/or dietitian before starting any weight loss or exercise routine, however.
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RPA Launches 'Keeping Kidney Patients Safe' Website
In September 2008, the Renal Physicians Association (RPA), in collaboration with the Forum of ESRD Networks, launched a new patient safety website, Keeping Kidney Patients Safe (www.kidneypatientsafety.org) to provide resources, tools, and information to improve ESRD patient safety. Since its launch, Keeping Kidney Patients Safe has attracted over 6,500 visitors from 35 countries, including China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Israel, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Russian Federation, Germany, and the Netherlands.
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Seeing the Big Picture: Communicating With Your Nephrologist About Goals and Expectations
What are the expectations of my patients, and how do they compare with my own expectations of them? Is there more that we can do together to allow patients to accomplish those goals? Free and open communication is an absolute necessity if patients are to achieve their goals and not fall prey to the trap of low expectations coming either from themselves or their caregivers.
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Sleep Apnea and Kidney Disease
Sleep apnea (SA) is a serious condition that is particularly important for patients with kidney disease to identify and understand. Complications include hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, and even sudden death. Just as importantly, SA affects individuals on a daily basis, causing fatigue, headaches, depression, and overall diminished executive functioning, which can lead to strains on interpersonal relationships and loss of productivity in daily endeavors.
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Slip, Slop, Slap- Preventing Harmful Effects of the Sun
Warnings about the damaging effects of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays on the skin have been at the forefront of health advice for years. As a kidney transplant recipient, I know that the chance of getting skin cancer is much higher for me than for the rest of the population.
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Smart Snacking Choices for the Dialysis Patient
Hungry? Not sure what to eat when you get the munchies? The following are some ideas on what to eat in between meals to help you maintain your nutritional well being without all that extra potassium and phosphorus. Each “smart snack" contains less than 130 milligrams (mg) of potassium and less than 80 mg of phosphorus. Check with your renal dietitian on the number of servings that are appropriate for you.
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Social Networking at the Transplant Cafe (Podcast)
Nelson Freytes went to the hospital and ended up in a coma. He awoke with a new liver. What makes this story so fascinating is he never knew he needed a transplant until he had one. Nelson wanted to connect with others and as a result created transplantcafe.com. Join us for a cup of java and hear some ways he's made his transplant work for him.
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Summer Grilling Tips & Techniques
Grilling is not just for the summertime! I grill all year round as a low-fat way to prepare chicken, meat, fish, or vegetables. Grilling is easy; there are no pots or pans to clean and it’s a great way to entertain. Read on to learn more about preparing some foods for grilling and tips on grilling to perfection.
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Sunny Delight! Understanding Vitamin D (Podcast)
What does Vitamin D do for your body? What foods are the best source of Vitamin D? Why are so many people who have chronic kidney disease deficient in Vitamin D? Gail DeWald who has over 24 years as a Certified Nephrology Nurse, will answer these questions.
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Take Charge and Lengthen Your Life
Are you aware that some patients live and enjoy life for 10, 20, even 30 years and longer while on hemodialysis? One of my good friends has been on hemodialysis for 33 years! On the other hand, far too many patients develop problems that curtail long life.
What makes the difference?
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Take-Home Dialysis (Podcast)
Wouldn’t it be great if dialysis was like the Domino’s Pizza delivery policy... delivered in 30 minutes or less? Although 30-minute dialysis is still a long way off, shorter hemodialysis treatments are here today and growing in popularity, especially since they can be performed in the comfort of your own home. On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst talk with two physicians who address both the convenience and clinical benefits of daily home hemodialysis.
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Taking Charge of Your Dialysis & Your Life! (Podcast)
Susan Hansen RN, CNN, Director of Clinical Business Development at Renal Solutions, Inc., chats with Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst about taking charge of your dialysis and your care. Sue’s knowledge and experience go back to 1965, during the beginning stages of maintenance / chronic dialysis.
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Taking Dialysis on the Road (Podcast)
“On the road again....” Four simple words that once seemed impossible for dialysis patients. But not any longer! On this week’s show, Lori Hartwell and Stephen Furst talk with someone who helps make dialyzing in another city or state (or even another country) a lot easier. There was a time when it was difficult to arrange treatments for hemodialysis patients who wanted to travel. Dialysis facilities didn’t always have openings for patients who wished to receive only one or two treatments. The facilities also may not have had enough staff to accommodate visiting patients. Thankfully, times have changed.
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Ten Transplant Tips
Having a transplant can be a wonderful experience, but as in all aspects of treatment you must do your part. What is your part, you ask? Let’s look at the top ten things that you need to know to be successful with a kidney transplant.
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Thanksgiving - Indulging Can Be Hazardous
Thanksgiving is almost here. We will gather with family and friends and share a tasty meal. For most people, it is a happy occasion. However, some people dread the festive feast. Many people who live with chronic kidney disease have dietary restrictions that don’t coincide with the culinary delights of the holiday season. The dialysis diet can be difficult to adhere to during the holidays, so it is important to make sure your holiday meal is healthy. And remember many family members may be dealing with their own dietary restrictions.
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The Advantages of Home Nightly Nocturnal Hemodialysis
The renewed interest in this modality is the result of several recent studies on improving the quality of dialysis. These studies have demonstrated very well that nocturnal dialysis patients are doing much better than they have done on standard in-center dialysis.
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The Courage to Live
My doctors told me that my kidneys would function for about six more years. After that, I would either have to begin dialysis, have a transplant, or die. As a mother, this frightened me. My daughter was just a few weeks old, and my son was only four. I was terrified. I did not want to die and leave my children without a mother.
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The Evaluation and Process of a Kidney Transplant
Anyone who is in or has kidney failure is a potential candidate for a renal transplant. Yet, it's important to know that the procedure comes with both advantages and disadvantages, and it may not be a good choice for everyone.
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The Heart of Kidney Disease (Podcast)
Dr. Carol DiRaimondo, an internist specializing in kidney diseases, gives some no-nonsense, straight-as-an-arrow talk about why it’s vitally important for people with kidney disease to take care of their heart—and how to do it. Because patients on dialysis are at a higher risk for heart disease, they will be especially empowered by this discussion. Find out what you can do to prevent heart disease or work your way towards a healthy heart in this information-packed show
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The Importance of Oxygen During Hemodialysis
While dialysis patients know that their treatment sessions can be annoying, painful, scary, and draining, they are also aware that they are a lifesaving necessity. Dialysis is work, and work requires energy. Energy requires fuel.
A large amount of energy is necessary for excess water and poisons to move out of our body’s cells and into the tissue fluid, blood, and dialyzer. Each cell in the body has a "powerhouse" called the mitochondria which needs "fuel" to run. Oxygen is the fuel for the "powerhouse" of the cell. (Oxygen isn't everything, but it's right up there with money!)
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The Kidney Connection - Anemia and Kidney Disease
Anemia can be either a temporary or a long-term disease/illness. People with mild anemia may not have any symptoms, or they may have only mild symptoms. Those with severe anemia can feel tired, get short of breath with activity, and have problems doing the things they usually do.
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The Kidney Connection - Diabetes Mellitus
Only 5%-10% of those with diabetes suffer from the more serious type 1 diabetes. In this type, the body stops making insulin, resulting in the need for the patient to take insulin daily.This type is more likely to lead to kidney failure. Up to 40% of those with type 1 develop kidney failure by the age of 50.
The vast majority (90%-95%) of diabetic patientshave type 2 diabetes and do not require daily insulin doses. Type 2 most often occurs in people over 40, but can occur at any age. Many are overweight and do not know they have the disease.
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The Kidney Connection - Glomerulonephritis
Glomerulonephritis (GN), also known as glomerular disease, can be either acute such as a sudden inflammation attack or chronic, which occurs gradually. It can occur as part of a systemic disease like diabetes or lupus or it can be a disease on its own, known as primary GN.
Mini-epidemics of the condition have occurred in certain geographic areas and is most common in individuals aged 40 to 60. The condition sometimes runs in families, indicating a genetic factor.
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The Kidney Connection - Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of sudden, short-term kidney failure in children, and is most common in kids aged six months to four years. While the condition is more prevalent in children, adults can also get it. Progression to acute kidney failure occurs in about 50% of HUS cases.
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The Kidney Connection - Hypertension
What is hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP)? It's when the force of the blood pumping against the walls of your blood vessels is too high. This causes your heart to struggle to pump blood through the arteries to the rest of your body. Hypertension also damages the blood vessels by making them more narrow and their walls thickerand "harder" (a.k.a atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries).
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The Kidney Connection - IgA Nephropathy
IgA nephropathy, also called Berger's disease, was named for the doctor who originally discovered the condition in 1927. It is caused by abnormal deposits of a kind of protein that helps fight infection known as immunoglobulin A (IgA) inside the glomeruli (small blood vessels of the kidneys), resulting in inflammation of the glomeruli.
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The Kidney Connection - Lupus Nephritis
Lupus is short for "lupus erythematosus." The word "lupus" is the Latin word for "wolf." It was named because of the skin rash resembling a wolf's bite that some patients get over the bridge of their nose.
Lupus is an autoimmune disease because the immune system, which usually protects the body from illness, turns against it. This causes harm to organs and tissues, including the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.
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The Kidney Connection - Renal Bone Disease
Many patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are unaware that the kidney is involved with the health of their bones. Renal bone disease (a.k.a renal osteodystrophy) occurs when your kidneys fail to maintain the proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in your blood.
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The Kidney Connection - Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a movement disorder that causes uncomfortable, unpleasant sensations in the legs. It affects up to 10% of the US population and as many as 40% of those on dialysis. The condition mostly affects older individuals.
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The Kidney Connection - Secondary Hyperparathyroidism
The most common cause of SHPT is CKD. SHPT occurs when damaged kidneys do not convert enough vitamin D to its active form or they may not excrete enough phosphorus.
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The Kidney Connection - Sex and Sexuality
What is sexuality? Many believe it refers only to sexual intercourse, but it actually has a much broader definition. It also refers to self-image, how you communicate with other people, and simply building a relationship. It includes such activities as touching, kissing, and hugging, or just being with each other and participating in activities you both enjoy.
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The Kidney Connection - Skin and Hair Problems
Skin and hair problems affect many people on dialysis. As a dialysis patient, your skin may appear to be more fragile and may tear or bruise more easily than normal.
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The Miracle Continues
Throughout history the word heroism refers to people that, in the face of danger and adversity; or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice, for some greater good. Patrice Smith, a total stranger, donated a kidney to our 21-year-old daughter, liberating her after 3 years on dialysis. With pure altruism, Patrice contacted our family, persevered through the evaluation process, traveled across the US and gave a beautiful gift of love and life – giving Jenna the chance to pursue her dreams, and live the life of a normal young woman.
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The Protein Challenge: Myth or Fact?
Proteins supply amino acids. Amino acids are "building blocks" that build, repair, and maintain your body tissues. Your body uses protein to:
Make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals;
Carry nutrients;
Make muscles contract; and
Regulate body processes.
Read on to see how "protein savvy" you are...
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The Renal Teen Prom-Part 1 (Podcast)
This week we will feature the first part of a two part series: Renal Teen Prom 2007. This week Lori and Stephen visit with the teens, volunteers, and guests at RSN’s 8th annual Renal Teen Prom. Next week we’ll visit with the celebrities who came and lent their support to this great cause. The gymnasium at Notre Dame High School—the site of the prom—was transformed into a “Midnight at the Oasis,” this year’s theme, complete with beautiful palm trees, delicious renal-friendly food, and of course, kids, kids, kids. Over 350 teens and their guests attended this year! Without the help of the senior student body of Notre Dame High School this event simply would not be as successful as it has been. They selflessly gave of their time to help make one special night come to life for the young kidney patients.
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The Renal Teen Prom-Part 2 (Podcast)
This is the second part of our two part series on RSN’s 8th annual Renal Teen Prom. Last week we visited with the teens, guests, and volunteers. This week Lori and Stephen talk with the great celebrities who came out and lent their support to this fantastic event. The teens were excited to have the chance to mingle with the celebs and collect their autographs. The prom just wouldn’t be the same without the wonderful support of the stars! The locale of the prom—Notre Dame High School—came alive with guest appearances by Sinbad, Alexa Vega, Gary Sinise, John McCook, Christy Carlson Romano, and the LA Clippers Dance team.
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The RightStart Program (Podcast)
Do you remember how you felt when you started dialysis? Anxious, scared, and with endless questions? This new pilot program called "RightStart," is designed to educate and help new patients feel better and more in control of their health during this critical time. Rebecca Wingard, Nephrology Nurse and Vice President of Quality Initiatives for Fresenius Medical Care, joins us today to talk about the RightStart Program.
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The Surprise Gift of Life
What if our kidney disease gave the gift of life? I am a 35 year-old female from South Hadley, Massachusetts. I have been on dialysis for 18 months. At the beginning of January, I was scheduled to receive a kidney from a lifelong friend of mine. Instead, he received the gift of life from me!
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The Truth About Protein
People who have been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often find themselves confronted with many lifestyle changes, with diet being one of the most challenging. But there are steps that can be taken to help delay the start of dialysis. This article briefly reviews the components of a CKD diet with the primary goal to maintain optimal nutrition. There is no “one-size-fits-all” diet. Your diet needs to be individualized based on your kidney function, other medical conditions, and nutritional status.
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The Use of Peritoneal Dialysis in the Management of Kidney Failure
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the generally available and internationally used forms of treatment and management of patients who reach end-stage kidney failure. It is the primary form of treatment for renal failure used at home and for self-dialysis.
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The Warmth of an Idea for Your Vascular Access
I was diagnosed in 1971, so I have known for years that kidney failure was probably in my future. I began hemodialysis in May of 2006. I have an upper arm AV fistula, and while on dialysis found that my access arm got uncomfortably cold. Those of you on hemo know that we can’t cover the access arm because the needle site has to be visible to staff at the center at all times.
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Tips on Adhering to a Medication Regimen For the Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Patient
As a dialysis or kidney transplant patient, you know that taking medication the way it is prescribed is one of the most important things you can do to help keep yourself as healthy as possible. Even though you know how important it is, medication is not always the easiest thing to swallow.
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Tips on How a Dialysis Facility and Patients Can Prepare for an Emergency
“An emergency stops being one when you are ready for it.”
These words are important to reflect upon when you realize that, during the last few years, the United States has experienced several disasters (particularly Hurricane Katrina) that seriously disrupted the lives of many dialysis patients because they could not get to their clinics to receive treatments. Emergencies caused by severe weather (hurricanes, earthquakes, snowstorms, power outages, etc.) can occur suddenly and without warning. Your availability to water, power, transportation, or supplies may be limited. You may not be able to get to your dialysis unit for treatment or give yourself treatments at home. Therefore, the importance of being prepared for such events cannot be overstated.
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To Be or Not To Be Steroid Free (Podcast)
On KidneyTalk this week Lori and Stephen talk with Dr. William Marks, transplant nephrologist/surgeon and Director of Transplantation at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. The question “to be or not to be” covers the issue of kidney transplant without using steroids. So, what is non-steroidal transplantation? In short, it is a transplant without the use of steroids. Knowing that steroids are effective but have a lot of side effects such as weight gain, risk of infection, and problems with healing, physicians are beginning to use different medications and protocols that don’t require the use of steroids. Steroid-free transplantation is a new therapy. This is not a widespread therapy and is not available at all transplant centers. To find out more about this interesting topic, dial in to your favorite online radio show and listen as we discuss this relatively new therapy option. As always, you should check with your physician and healthcare professional to find out what treatment option works best for you.
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Transitioning Out of Childhood for Young People with CKD (Podcast)
Lori has a heart-to-heart with Dr. Maria Ferris, Pediatric Nephrologist from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and specialist in treating adolescents and young adults with CKD. They discuss the unique challenges a young person can face, both those with childhood-onset CKD and those who develop CKD in their adolescence. Dr. Ferris and the team at UNC Kidney Center have developed helpful guidelines and tools for young people with CKD and their parents to help "smooth" what can often be a difficult transition; growing up can have a whole new meaning when you have CKD! All this and more, including discussion on the challenges of completing your education when you have CKD.
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Transplant Website Review
Today's feature site is US Transplant, at www.ustransplant.org. I've been a huge fan of this particular site for many, many years, as it gives volumes of center specific information as well as nationwide stats. I reference it frequently for data that I need to gather for lectures, 1:1 talks with patients regarding their particular situation as well as to just stay current on transplant statistical information. There are areas to check national stats, local hospital & OPO stats and research resources.
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Understanding Anemia: Learn all you can about this energy draining condition (Podcast)
Okay, all you couch kidneys out there, listen up! (We can’t be couch potatoes because we have to watch our potassium, right?!). Do you feel tired? Out of energy? Cold? Have you failed the “stair test”?
On KidneyTalk this week, Lori and Stephen discuss anemia (a complication of chronic kidney disease) with Dr. Mahesh Krishnan, Medical Director of Amgen in the Dialysis Services Department and author of The Kidney Guide.
Dial in to your favorite Internet station − KidneyTalk − and learn why you need to know about anemia, how it affects kidney patients, the treatment for it, and other important issues regarding this energy-draining disease. You’ll also find out how to energize yourself and stop being a couch kidney!
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Understanding the Process and Participating in Your Own Healthcare is Key to a Successful Kidney Transplant
An effective organ placement system requires a great deal of communication, planning, cooperation, and trust among the candidate, the transplant coordinators, social workers, nephrologists, and surgeons. Candidates for a kidney transplant are best served if they participate in advanced planning, understand the process, and are forthcoming with their transplant teams.
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Understanding Your Monthly Dialysis Lab Values
Laboratory values are only one of many ways that your healthcare is monitored. These values, like many aspects of kidney care, have clinical guidelines and standards for care that have been analyzed and recommended by experts
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Vitamin D and CKD
It's seems that everyone is talking about vitamin D and for a good reason. Long winter months indoors and use of heavy sunscreen are some of the reasons that keep our bodies from absorbing the UV rays necessary to make healthy amounts of vitamin D leading to vitamin D deficiency. But for people with chronic kidney disease, it's not just an issue of vitamin D deficiency but a deficiency in active vitamin D as well.
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What Can Patients Do to Delay the Progression to Complete Kidney Failure?
Your doctor has just informed you that you have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Rather than being a specific diagnosis, CKD means that your kidney function is not completely normal for someone of your age, gender, and race. In CKD, some of the filtering units of the kidneys are not functional. Because of that, the remaining filtering units are working "overtime" in a compensatory attempt to maximize kidney function. While this is helpful in the short run, continued overworking of the filtering units over time may lead to scarring and progressive failure.
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What In The World Is Mineral and Bone Disorder (Podcast)
A Nephrology nurse since 1970, Gail Wick has seen treatment for chronic kidney disease improve considerably. But one of the hidden side effects, happening long before kidneys fail, is secondary hyperparathyroidism, now known as Mineral and Bone Disorder. Find out what it is and how to cope with it from an expert.
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What is Being Done to Increase the Supply of Donor Organs?
Mr. Undis has focused on a significant problem in the United States. The number of candidates on the deceased donor organ waiting list is increasing at a faster rate than the number of deceased organ donors. His solution is to change the organ allocation system so that those candidates who have indicated that they are organ donors for at least six months prior to their need for an organ go to the top of the waiting list, an "A" list so to speak. All others are in a second category, a "B" list. They would only receive an organ if there are any still remaining after the needs of the "A" list are addressed.
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What Patients Need to Understand About Quality Assurance in the Dialysis Center
Quality assurance and continuous quality improvement (QA/CQI) are critical components in the hemodialysis (HD) center. Correctly implemented and managed, QA/CQI not only improves outcomes that have been established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Networks, and the individual dialysis companies, it also improves the quality of life for the HD patient.
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Why Do Patients Have Bouts of Low Blood Pressure During Hemodialysis?
While most people who eventually require chronic maintenance hemodialysis (HD) had hypertension, or high blood pressure (BP), before they began HD treatments, hypotension (low BP) during the HD treatment sessions is a common problem. It is estimated that 15%-50% of patients receiving HD will have low BP during their treatments.
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Why We Crave Comfort Foods?
Everyone should feel free to enjoy comfort foods. You don’t have to give them up completely, if you are on dialysis. Here’s the trick: if they are eaten only on an occasional basis, no harm is done. But if large portions of these foods are frequently eaten, they contribute to excessive fluid gains, high blood pressure, high phosphorus or high potassium levels.
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